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Arsis - A Celebration Of Guilt review



Reviewer:
9.0

201 users:
8.52
Band: Arsis
Album: A Celebration Of Guilt
Release date: March 2004


01. The Face Of My Innocence
02. Maddening Disdain
03. Seven Whispers Fell Silent
04. Return
05. Worship Depraved
06. Carnal Ways To Recreate The Heart
07. Dust And Guilt
08. Elegant And Perverse
09. The Sadistic Motives Behind Bereavement Letters
10. Looking To Nothing
11. Wholly Night
12. Look To Nothing [2011 reissue bonus]
13. Painted Eyes [2011 reissue bonus]
14. Veil Of Morning Black [2011 reissue bonus]

Damn! This came out of the blue and trampled me in a split second; the hit was so hard that I have troubles remembering my girlfriend's name! What the hell is this? It's just one of the best releases of 2004, if not the best album of Death Metal released in 2004, Arsis (musical term meaning "silence") are from the United States, but don't let that fool you, this guys play like pros!

"A Celebration Of Guilt" is their debut album and damn it really did an everlasting impression in my from the first listen, they have the ability of perfectly mixing Melodeath with brutal Death, creating and interesting atmosphere with melodies and some share of brutality.

Compositions are very varied, each song have innovative riffs and excellent musical arrangements, I could dare to say that some parts are almost progressive, with excellent tempo bakes and guitar leads, drumming is insane and vocals are out of this world, really aggressive, but not undecipherable. Maybe the most amazing thing about this band is that is a duet, only 2 members handle all instrumentation and composition, really something.

Don't get me started with the artwork, because is just great, and not only the cover art, the whole booklet layout has been done taking care of each detail, this is the kind of Cd's that you must have in display, not buried in a pile of old Cd's. This is the kind of Cd's that you really watch out for.

Don't tell me to pick a song, because I can't, each song has a special part or moment that I simply love, so choosing between one or another would be totally unfair, but if you're fan of Death Metal, you must get this, nobody will be disappointed with this little masterpiece. I hope to see Arsis soon with a sophomore effort and signed with a big label, not the little looser label that Willowtip Records is, these guys need the promotion and support that only a big label can give.
Excellent album, superb musicianship, best wishes for Arsis.

Written by Undercraft | 27.12.2004




Comments

Comments: 16   Visited by: 155 users
13.12.2006 - 05:06
Rating: 7
Talvi

This CD is amazing. I'm no fan of death metal, just melodeath, but this album manages to be brutal and melodic at once. I REALLY want more death metal like Arsis. Any suggerences?
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My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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14.12.2006 - 02:22
Rating: 9
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
"are from the United States, but don't let that fool you, this guys play like pros"

what the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Great album...first two tracks are the best.
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27.12.2006 - 22:46
Opium Magnet
Account deleted
Written by Dangerboner on 14.12.2006 at 02:22

"are from the United States, but don't let that fool you, this guys play like pros"

what the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Great album...first two tracks are the best.

He was implying that bad metal generally comes from America, I think. However, I totally disagree.

Arsis are a good band and their style is unique, but this was an exponential effort in terms of the whole construction of the songs on this album.

Of course, they can't all be winners, but this album is pretty close to perfect.
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16.02.2007 - 03:20
SerpentsBlood
Account deleted
"He was implying that bad metal generally comes from America, I think. However, I totally disagree."

America has the worst metal out of most countries. A good metal band in America comes a dime a dozen. I should know... I live there...I would have to agree that Arsis is one of the few amazing metal bands America has produced.
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16.02.2007 - 03:26
Putrid_Cadaver
Account deleted
Arsis is on their way to being very known to those who listen to metal. Kinda like Nile and Deicide, Bands that only those who listen to them know who they are.


The face of My innocence is a GREAT first track for the CD, it shows you what your asking for throughout the CD.
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13.03.2007 - 21:40
Rating: 8
Stigmatized
..........
Great album, very fun listen. I despise the cover art though.
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11.06.2007 - 09:39
bluemobiusx
Account deleted
I love this album! I just saw Arsis on the Summer Slaughter Tour and they were awesome! They played flawlessly and really pumped up the audience.
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08.07.2007 - 02:48
Passe

Written by Talvi on 13.12.2006 at 05:06

This CD is amazing. I'm no fan of death metal, just melodeath, but this album manages to be brutal and melodic at once. I REALLY want more death metal like Arsis. Any suggerences?


You can try Enforsaken, particularly their last release. If you don't know, take a look at Ensiferum and Suidakra.
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11.08.2007 - 21:11
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Yet another new band I'm interested in knowing. I'm so grateful to metalstorm
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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22.09.2007 - 11:01
Syk
myspace/bonerama
I don't understand why this album had a rating of 9.3 before MS helped me discover 'em... maybe it's just that they bring a lot of elements together in a "good" way, but it sounds very similar to tons of other metalcore-melodeath stuff out already. For great technical melo DM you can check out Neuraxis and Kronos... Chimaira for less tech, more core... the vocals remind me of Zao but the music is definitely better... and I really don't see why Wintersun are in their similar bands list here! Reminds me of Aborted too, Goremageddon stuff, but not as good... overrated.

Oh yeah, for a laugh, fans may like the less doomy songs on The Disciples Of Zoldon's Recruit Them from the Tombs EP downloadable from the website, and everyone should hear the brilliance of Kataklysm's first two albums. From ten years ago.

2nd edit - if you like this, maybe check out newer Monstrosity and Malevolent Creation. If you don't like one of these, don't be deterred from trying the other
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death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon!

he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays
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11.01.2008 - 04:20
deadset61
Account deleted
This album kicks ass as does the band. Ive seen them live and even met James Malone and cant wait to see them again sometime. One of my favorite bands and cant wait to see what else they are gonna bring to the table on their new release coming out soon.
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20.10.2008 - 15:49
Rating: 9
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
A great album by Arsis. To me it is reaching the perfect. Only bad point: personally I find something in the production which makes me cannot hear the album many times in a row but realy I don't know what that is..
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Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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25.05.2009 - 07:50
Rating: 10
bloodwrage
Pagan Angel
This album is a great follow up to the three other albums by the metal god that is Arsis. Love the title track, and worship depraved is another great song.
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25.05.2009 - 15:45
Rating: 9
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Written by bloodwrage on 25.05.2009 at 07:50

This album is a great follow up to the three other albums by the metal god that is Arsis. Love the title track, and worship depraved is another great song.

what follow up??? this one was their first release...
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Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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18.12.2009 - 20:52
dunskii

For their first release of an album they couldn't have done any better, this album was given #1 on metalreviews.com i believe also for 2004.

Also the fact that it was only 2 musicians in the recording studio makes this album even more superb.
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04.11.2011 - 19:17
Rating: 9
neonxaos

WOW, am I late to the party here! I was just casually browsing for some new music, and then I came across this album. The Face Of My Innocence instantly blew my whole fucking face off. Definitely gonna be listening more to these guys!
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